Southwest Michigan county help line ringing nonstop this holiday season

A Southwest Michigan county's United Way help line continues to field hundreds of calls per day.

The phones are still ringing off the hook even when people aren’t using their heaters just yet.

Traditionally, the United Way helps with the cost of utilities.

This season, people in Grand Rapids and surrounding communities are calling the hotline for holiday-related needs like food.

“Typically this time of the year, we are extremely busy with the holidays; with families trying to get connected to the holiday programs and that. On the other side of that, the flip side of that is families still have utilities bills and rent and housing payments they have to make," said Sherri Vainavicz, 211 Director.

Vainavicz went on to say the reason they're getting so many calls for food assistance right now is because this is the time of year where food pantries are struggling the most.